← 19 May Friday 20 May 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
58,955 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

The news turned to violence in Egyptair, a disaster in Colombo and illness in Dakar. Egypt's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSri Lanka 70 in 100 of its 916 stories, usually 39
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Egypt

3,642 of its 5,343 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Egyptair accounted for 3,518 of Egypt's 3,642 stories about harm, carried by 2,115 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Egypt over 30 days → its stories → Egyptair stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Niger

37 of its 47 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Diffa accounted for 34 of Niger's 37 stories about harm, carried by 24 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

109 of its 128 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Kidal accounted for 78 of Mali's 109 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (92 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sierra Leone

65 of its 99 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (29 stories). Malaria was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

1,642 of its 3,524 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (751 stories). Wildfires were named in 73 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with drownings.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kazakhstan

40 of its 141 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. 21 of Almaty's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (22 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Tanzania

65 of its 203 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: ebola in Brazil (101 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Guyana (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tuberculosis in South Africa (104 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); malaria in Sierra Leone (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); landslides in Philippines (48 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
22 in 10018 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 Apr: 19 in 10022 Apr: 20 in 10023 Apr: 21 in 10024 Apr: 21 in 10025 Apr: 19 in 10026 Apr: 19 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 19 in 10029 Apr: 19 in 10030 Apr: 19 in 1001 May: 20 in 1002 May: 19 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 20 in 1005 May: 20 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 21 in 1008 May: 22 in 1009 May: 20 in 10010 May: 20 in 10011 May: 19 in 10012 May: 19 in 10013 May: 19 in 10014 May: 22 in 10015 May: 22 in 10016 May: 19 in 10017 May: 20 in 10018 May: 20 in 10019 May: 20 in 10020 May: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 May. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 58,955 stories about harm among 295,704 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. of the day's 295,704 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Brazil's news mentioned Ebola more than ten times as often as usual. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. For the second day running, the news turned to Egypt.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mali85 in 100 of its 128 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan73 in 100 of its 156 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Syria71 in 100 of its 589 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka70 in 100 of its 916 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Senegal68 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 32 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US328 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2436 San Francisco US302 stories about protests or strikes, of its 760 Baghdad Iraq270 stories about protests or strikes, of its 342 Chibok Nigeria231 stories about protests or strikes, of its 865 Jerusalem Israel183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 655

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: near the world's share or lessCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: near the world's share or lessNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessComoros: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessJammu & Kashmir: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessSiachen Glacier: near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: near the world's share or lessPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: near the world's share or lessSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 60 in 100 of its 93 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Vietnam: 29 in 100 of its 865 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Venezuela: 41 in 100 of its 649 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Puerto Rico: 33 in 100 of its 391 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 26 in 100 of its 364 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Türkiye: 37 in 100 of its 1,332 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Tunisia: 65 in 100 of its 192 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Thailand: 34 in 100 of its 565 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Tanzania: 32 in 100 of its 203 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Tajikistan: 41 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Syria: 71 in 100 of its 589 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Sudan: 49 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sudan: 73 in 100 of its 156 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sri Lanka: 70 in 100 of its 916 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Africa: 28 in 100 of its 2,045 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Somalia: 34 in 100 of its 124 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sierra Leone: 66 in 100 of its 99 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Senegal: 68 in 100 of its 63 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Saudi Arabia: 33 in 100 of its 454 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Rwanda: 31 in 100 of its 148 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Philippines: 26 in 100 of its 1,603 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Pakistan: 42 in 100 of its 1,725 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Nigeria: 47 in 100 of its 3,524 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Niger: 79 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Nepal: 55 in 100 of its 631 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Mauritania: 50 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Mali: 85 in 100 of its 128 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)North Macedonia: 49 in 100 of its 148 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Libya: 45 in 100 of its 236 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Lebanon: 50 in 100 of its 270 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kenya: 39 in 100 of its 847 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kazakhstan: 28 in 100 of its 141 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Israel: 56 in 100 of its 2,396 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 1,423 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iraq: 47 in 100 of its 1,046 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iran: 26 in 100 of its 925 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iceland: 33 in 100 of its 104 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Honduras: 38 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Haiti: 30 in 100 of its 103 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Guinea: 38 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)France: 28 in 100 of its 4,218 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ethiopia: 34 in 100 of its 117 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Egypt: 68 in 100 of its 5,343 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ecuador: 56 in 100 of its 88 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Greenland: 41 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Costa Rica: 40 in 100 of its 78 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)DR Congo: 39 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Congo: 37 in 100 of its 293 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Colombia: 56 in 100 of its 247 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Central African Republic: 67 in 100 of its 54 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cape Verde: 100 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cameroon: 45 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cambodia: 33 in 100 of its 372 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Myanmar: 48 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Burundi: 59 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Brazil: 25 in 100 of its 1,333 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bosnia: 67 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Belgium: 30 in 100 of its 599 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bangladesh: 47 in 100 of its 732 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Angola: 54 in 100 of its 198 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Albania: 35 in 100 of its 101 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Afghanistan: 54 in 100 of its 606 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 1,423 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 1,423 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 26 in 100 of its 364 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 1,423 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 20 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Egypt 68 in 100 of its 5,343 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Sri Lanka 70 in 100 of its 916 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Mali 85 in 100 of its 128 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Syria 71 in 100 of its 589 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Sudan 73 in 100 of its 156 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Israel 56 in 100 of its 2,396 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 15,625 stories · about as usual Health22% 12,956 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence22% 12,801 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 7,695 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,832 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,808 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,699 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,257 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed18,330 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected8,325 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests7,590 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,021 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions1,454 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees1,195 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced765 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations418 at about half the usual rate · most about Sri Lanka and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill413 at about 4 times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than usual
● Feara little more than usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.